The current economy may be affecting our lives in a number of negative ways, but isn’t it possible that something good (or least interesting) can come from all this? Inspired by the unexpected outpouring of creative work that followed the Great Depression, First Person Arts has announced the In These Hard Times Contest: an open call to artists of all backgrounds to capture the effects of the current economy crisis. 

The goal is to gather stories from all 50 states that will create a “First Person picture of America in 2009.” FPA is specifically looking for the the “stories that are unique to your family, your community, your town, your region – that capture the idiosyncratic things that are happening where you live,” so whether you’re writing an essay, making a short film or shooting some photos, keep this in mind: the weirder and more personal, the better.

Guidelines can be found on the First Person America website and the deadline for submissions is June 30th.

Tags: Call for Submissions, economic crisis, economy, first person arts, in these hard times